Automatic speed control for automobiles.



A. L. SKELLS.

AUTOMATIC SPEED CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION msu NOV. 12, m1.

1 ,277,267. Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

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ATTORNEY ARTHUR L. SKELLS, OF HENRY, SOUTH DAKOTA.

AUTOMATIC SPEED CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Application filed November 12, 1917. Seriallfo. 201,111.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. Sxnms, a citizen of the United States,'residin at Henry,-in the county of Codington and S tate of South Dakota, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Speed Controls for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic speed controller and has for its object the production of an efiicient controller which will automatically out off the supply of electric current to'the spark plug of an engine,

, with which the device is adapted. to be used,

and cause the engine to cease operating when the same reaches a desired rate of speed.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for operating the circuit breaker, whereby the electrical current will be automatically cut off from the spark plugs of an engine, when the engine reaches the predetermined rate of speed.-

' With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. 'In the drawings I Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the speed controller,

Fig.2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line-3-3 of Fig. 1, r

Fig. 4 is a section vtaken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

" Fig. 5 is an enlarged yertical section through the circuit breaking mechanism.

By referring to the drawings,it will be seen that 1 designates the frame which is adapted to support the speed controller and this frame 1 is provided with an upwardly extending end 2 through; which upwardly extending end 2, passes the threaded end 3 of the stem 4. Lock nuts 5 are carried by the threaded end3 of the stem 4 and firmly hold the stem 4 in a set position upon the frame 1. The 0 posite end of the stem 4 is seated within t e'yoke-portion 6 of the frame 1, which is located at the inner end of the frame. This yoke portion 6 carries a friction wheel 7, which friction wheel is mounted upon a shaft 8, the shaft 8 also carrying a beveled gear 9.

A yoke 10 is supported upon the stem 4 by? fitting upon the 'sleeve11, the yoke 10 being locked in engagement with. the sleeve 11'by means of a locking screw 12. The

' sleeve 11 carries a key 13 and a beveled gear 14 is mounted upon a sleeve 11 .and fits over the key 13. The beveled gear 14 is looked a ainst longitudinal movement' upon the.

s eeve 11 by means of albinding screw 15.

This sleeve 11 is providedwith a collar 161 at one end, carrying ball hearings 17, which ballbearings 1T engage inner face ofthe yoke 6.

- The yoke 10 which is carried the inner end of the sleeve 11 is providedwith a plurality of projecting fingers 18 which are bifurcated for receivin'g'the governor arms 19, which governor arms 19 are pivotally mounted within the bifurcated ends of the fingers 18.

1 The governor arms 19 are provided with governor balls 20 upon the outer ends and the inner ends of the governor arms 19 are provided with inwardly extending beak portions 21. These beak portions 21 are provided with knobs 22 at their inner ends, which travel or work within the radiating track ways 23 formed upon the inner face of the revolving collar 24. The revolving collar 24 is provided with a ball bearing race upon the inner face thereof within which fit the ball bearings 25. These ball bearings 25 also travel within a race formed on the inner face of the stationary collar 26.

A tension spring 27 is carried by the stem 4 and engages the stationary collar 26, the opposite end of the spring 27 being engaged by the locking thumb nuts 28 mounted upon the threaded end 3 of the stem 4.

A out-out rod 29 is carried by the collar 26, by having its inner end threaded within the knobs 30. A look nut 31 is carried by the rod 29 and enga es the knob 30, for holding the r ,29 rmly in engagement with the collar 26. The outer end of this rod 29 passes through the upper apertured end of the circuit closing spring 32. This spring 32 is carried by a bracket 33 mounted,

upon the frame 1. A binding post 34 passes through an insulated disk 35 carried by the' spring 32 and a tapering contact point 36 I is carried by this binding post 34. Thestationary bracket 37 is carried by the frame 1 adjacent the contact spring 32 and supports an insulating disk 38 carryinga binding post 39. This binding post 39 carries a .V-shaped notch 41 upon its contact face, for

. contact point 40 which is provided with a receiving the contact point 36. The cut-out rod 29 carries an abutment 42 for engaging the spring 32 and forcing the same away from the bracket 37, thereby releasing the contact points 36 and 40.

Should the speed of the engine upon which the controller is used, reach a predetermined rate, the governor armsl9 will be swung outwardly, thereby forcing the collars 24 and 26 longitudinally of the stem 4:, against the tension ofthe spring 27. The movement of the collar 26 ust described will push upon the rod 29 and thereby move the spring 32 away from the bracket 37 and cause the contact point 36 to be moved away from, or out of engagement with the contact member l0, thereby breaking an electric cir- -cuit within which the contact points 36 and 40 are adapted to be located, Conducting wires 42 are connected to the binding posts 34: and 39 and may be connected in any suitv able or convenient manner with the sourceof electrical supply and with the spark plugs of an engine.

' From the foregoing description, it will be seen thata very simple and efiicient device has been produced, for automatically cutting 011" the supply of an electric current to the spark plugs of'an engine, should the engine operate beyond a predetermined rate of speed,

It of course should be understood that the governor yoke 10 may be operated or rotated by any suitable or convenient driving means, without departing from the spirit of the invention, for the reason that there are several ways in which the device may be connected to or operated from a driving engine.

What is claimed is 1. An automatic speed controller comprising a frame, a longitudinally extending stem supported thereby, a beveled gear loosely mounted upon said stem, governor arms cooperating with said beveled gear and adapted to rotate therewith, revolving collars mounted upon said stem, a spring mounted upon said. stem and/engaging said collars, one end of said stem being threaded and anchored in firm engagement with said frame, a tension regulating screw mounted upon said threaded end and engaging one end of said spring for regulating the tension thereof and controlling the operation of "said governor arms and a circuit closing ineans cooperating with said revolving colars.

2. An automatic speed controller comprising a support, a stem mounted upon said support, a gear carried upon one end of said support, friction bearings cooperating with said gear and adapted to drive the same, said friction bearings adapted to cooperate with driving means actuating said gears, a loosely mounted beveled gear mounted upon said stem, overnor arms supported in conjuncgovernor.arms and said adjusting nut for regulating the operation of said governor arms, and a circuit breaker cooperating with said governor arms and adapted to be actuated as said governor arms are spread apart.

4. An automatic speed controller comprising a frame, a stem supported thereon, revolving collars mounted upon said stem, and capable of moving longitudinally thereof, tension means engaging said collars, a governor arm supporting means carried by said stem and rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating said governor arms supporting means, each governor arm provided with an inwardly extending finger having an enlarged knob formed upon the inner. end thereof, one of said revolving collars provided with a plurality of radiating tracks within which the said knob portions work for causing said governor arms to be swung as said revolving collars are moved longitudinally upon said stem, and circuit breaking means carried by said collars and adapted to make and break a circuit as said collars are moved longitudinally upon said stem.

5. An automatic speed controller comprising a frame, a stem carried thereby, a plurality of revoluble collars slidablymounted upon said stem, governor arms cooperating with said collars and adapted to move the same longitudinally upon said stem as said arms are moved outwardly, a plurality of contact arms carried-by said frame, a cutout rod carried by one of said revolving collars and extending substantially parallel with said stem and engaging the upper ends of one of said contact arms for producin a direct push against the same as said revo vin collars are moved longitudinally upon said stem, and means for rotating said stem.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR L. SKELLS. 

